Tag: Music Marketing

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What Artists Can Learn From Lizzo’s Success [VIDEO]

Lizzo is perhaps the most successful artist of 2019. Achieving that feat did not happen overnight, but her approach can work for anyone’s career.

No one is having a year like the one Lizzo is experiencing right now. From a successful album to sold-out tour dates, festival appearances, song placements, and more, no one has done a better job of being a constant figure in pop culture this year. Lizzo has the kind of career every musician hopes for, and today we’re exploring how she made it happen (before a label was involved).

Lizzo is not an overnight sensation or some flash in the pan talent. The success Lizzo is experiencing in 2019 is the result of a decade spent working hard in the shadows of mainstream music. Her biggest hits, “Truth Hurts” and “Good As Hell,” have been available online for years. Critics have been predicting her stardom since 2016, but convincing the masses took time and commitment to a message that has become the talk of every conversation in pop music.

You cannot duplicate Lizzo’s success by copying her style or sound. People will no doubt attempt this, but in doing so they are revealing a fundamental misunderstanding of her career. Lizzo is a leader. She is giving people something they cannot get anywhere else, and she is doing so in a way that is undeniably authentic.

In this episode of Music Biz, host James Shotwell breaks down four key lessons artists should learn from watching Lizzo succeed. These points can improve your career by setting you on a path for success that will develop in time. Check it out:

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Two Big Mistakes Musicians Make When Contacting Tastemakers

Overcoming the biggest hurdle in DIY music promotion requires a little thing called human decency. 

Music tastemakers are some of the busiest people in the entertainment industry. Even the smallest publications receive dozens of requests per day for coverage. Bigger outlets, as well as widely-recognized writers, may receive more than one-thousand emails any given week. The majority of the time, outlets and writers are busy dealing with established talent and music that is quickly gaining momentum online. Those able and willing to cover lesser-known acts only have a finite amount of time for discovery, which is why making a positive and immediate impact on anyone you pitch is essential for your success.

We write a lot of blogs offering advice for reaching tastemakers. We have even gone so far as to create contact lists to help people reach playlist curators. However, no matter how much we write and discuss music promotion, industry influencers continue to complain about up and coming artists’ lack of preparation and respect. People at all level of the industry often contact us with concerns that people are nowhere near as passionate about professionalism as they are becoming successful, and that — for most — is a huge red flag. 

With that in mind, here are the two complaints we receive most often, as well as advice on how to avoid further frustrating music writers, podcasters, and YouTubers in the future.

Know your audience.

Very few tastemakers have influence over every area of music. There are exceptions, such as The Needle Drop, but most critics and influences earn their positions in the industry by specializing in certain areas of music. 

The same goes for publications. Pitchfork may cover more music than anyone has time to listen to, but there isn’t one person doing all the work behind the scenes. Pitchforks, as well as most music publications, rely on teams of people — each with their own specialties — to curate content people should experience. 

Few things will get your pitch for coverage denied or overlooked faster than failing to understand what the person you’re contacting covers. This is especially with playlists, which can be extremely specific in terms of the music they’re looking to features. When artists begin flooding tastemakers with material outside their coverage area it only serves to frustrate influencers and lower their interest in music discovery altogether. 

It’s hard enough for up and coming artists to get attention today without having to compete with people who spam critics because they were too lazy to research the people they were contacting. Don’t contribute to the problem of over-saturation. Research every person and publication before reaching out. Be sure your email is going to someone or someplace that values the type of music you create. Otherwise, you’re just wasting everyone’s time, including your own.

Make it personal.

There is no Mr. Pitchfork or Ms. Rolling Stone. However, without fail, artists constantly spam inboxes of publications and writers without addressing the people on the receiving end. 

Worse still is the large number of artists who write a single draft of a pitch letter that they then copy and paste to all press contacts with zero personalization. 

A good rule of thumb for promoting your music is to make every piece of outreach as personal as the music you’re trying to share. Your songs mean everything to you. They are a representation of who you are what you wish to share with the world. Your promotional materials are an extension of that representation. 

It’s perfectly acceptable to create a pitch template for promoting your music that shares the same basic information with everyone you contact. However, that template should be a starting point for messages and not the entire message. Your outreach should aspire to make everyone feel as if you want them to hear your music more than anyone else in the world. Let them know you admire their work and that you understand what they are passionate about in music. Talk to them as if you’re trying to make a new best friend. 

Nobody wants to feel like they’re being asked for a favor by a stranger who has no interest in who they are, how they’re feeling, or what they’re trying to do with their own career. Make people feel special. 

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How to Throw Multiple Listening Parties for $100 or Less [VIDEO]

Listening parties can engage fans, grow your community, and raise awareness about your next release like nothing else in music.

There is no promotional event as incredible as a listening party. For an hour or more, fans gather together to experience the latest release from their favorite artist. The energy and excitement in these gatherings are electric. Everyone there is present because the artist’s catalog does something for them that nothing else in music or beyond can duplicate. Listening parties are a celebration of music’s power to move people, and you deserve to have them for your next release.

But there is a problem. Historically speaking, listening parties are often considered an expensive affair. You have to rent a space, be it a bar or venue, promote the event, create and distribute marketing materials, and perhaps pay for refreshments. Fans have often had to pay for the experience as well, be it through tickets or drinks.

We have a solution. For less than $100, you can plan and execute numerous listening parties all over the world on the same night. We can walk you through everything you need, but it’s up to you to find an audience. The plan below will only work if you have devoted fans who want to see you succeed. If you have those, then follow these steps to create an event no one will forget:

First off, you need to communicate with your fans. Whether this is accomplished through a newsletter or private Facebook group for key followers doesn’t really matter. Tell your audience you are seeking devoted fans willing and able to host small get together for your upcoming release. The only requirements they need to meet are a location for the event, the ability to host the event when you plan for it to take place, a computer, and speakers capable of playing music loud enough for everyone to hear your music. Be selective with your choices. The fans you choose will be representing you and your music for the duration of the event.

Haulix is the platform you will use to share your music with party hosts.

Next, you need a Haulix account. Haulix is the industry standard for music promotion, and right now they are offering one month of service free to everyone who signs up. Visit the Haulix website, pick a plan that works for you (we recommend Beast Mode to begin), and complete your registration. Haulix is the platform you will use to discreetly share your new music with listening party hosts. The service also allows you to control the number of times the music can be played, when people have access to music, and more.

The Promos screen is where you upload your music.

Once your Haulix account is activated, you will need to add your music to the service. Log in to your account and click the Promos tab at the top of the screen. Create a new promo with the music you plan to share through your listening parties. Be sure to add artwork, release information, and any other details you feel fans should know.

After your music is uploaded, begin creating introduction clips for your listening parties. Audio or video introductions are acceptable, but video content adds a personal touch. You may even want to make different videos for each event. That allows you the opportunity to specifically address each crowd by mentioning their cities or states, which again, helps create a connection with those in attendance. You can add the videos to your Haulix promo or upload them to YouTube (leaving them unlisted).

Promo invitations grant party hosts access to your music.

With all your materials complete, deliver the videos and event details to each listening party host with personalized messaging that reinforces dates, times, and any other particulars. Then you need to use Haulix to invite your hosts to engage with the materials you uploaded. You can find a step-by-step guide for sharing music on Haulix using the company’s help site.

After the event, be sure to send thank you notes to the hosts and any attendees. Personalize the messages to ensure people know you appreciate the work and time they dedicated to promoting your work. You should also consider revoking access to the materials through Haulix to ensure the album or single does not leak in advance of its release.

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How To Reach Music Critics and Influencers [VIDEO]

Sharing music has never been easier, but reaching people in positions of influence is harder than ever before.

Despite reports that claim otherwise, music criticism is alive and well. There are more musicians than ever making and releasing more music than ever at a rate never anticipated, which is why people continue to turn to influencers and people they view as having authority for help with new music discovery. Most people do not have the time to constantly listen to artists they don’t know, but many are willing to listen to those that do. That is why influencers continue to matter, and it is why they will always have a role in music.

But there is a problem. The increased competition for attention has made reaching tastemakers in positions of influence difficult. For every new artist that receive a bit of recognition, there are dozens whose emails and DMs go unanswered. Having a great song doesn’t matter unless you can make people care about it, and sadly, most artists are incapable of accomplishing that task.

In the latest episode of Music Biz 101, our ongoing web series, host James Shotwell breaks down four tricks for engaging with tastemakers every artist needs to know. These tips are easy to follow, and they can be applied in every genre of music, but you will still need great music as well. Success in the music business today requires both business and creative skills. One without the other may get you far, but it won’t build a lasting career.

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Four Simple Tricks For Reaching Tastemakers

Everyone wants to discover the next superstar artist, and every young artist wants to be the next big thing. We’ll help you stand out in four steps or less. Just make sure the music is good.

It has never been easier to share your music than it is right now. At the same time, however, it has never been more challenging to reach the people in positions of influence. With the barrier to entry into the music marketplace at an all-time low, aspiring talent has flooded the industry with music they believe could change the world. No one has time to listen to everything, but everyone who is anyone receives constant requests for their attention.

As a music critic and journalist myself, it is not unusual to receive more than one-hundred emails per day. During busier times of the year, such as October, that number can quickly rise above the two-hundred email mark. I want to claim that I find time to listen to everything, but that would be a lie. I look at what I know first, and then I try new things, but only if there is enough time (and there is rarely enough time).

When I speak at conferences and colleges, musicians and aspiring music professionals ask how they can cut through the noise. They yearn for a simple, secret solution that the public doesn’t know about, but no such tool or trick exists. What I tell them instead is what works for me, which is not unlike what works on everyone else. The advice may seem simple, but it is useful.

First impressions matter

You would not believe the number of artists who blindly send their music to tastemakers every single day without as much as an introductory email. These releases, by and large, go unheard. Why should I spend time listening to someone I don’t know who shows no interest in knowing me? People prefer to work with people they know and believe in, so make yourself known and give them a reason to believe in you.

Email is an excellent place to start, but social media might be even better. Engage with posts from tastemakers you hope to reach and let them know you appreciate their work. Don’t worry about selling yourself as much as making a good impression. If you can do that you will be miles ahead of the competition.

Send links, not files

As I said before, most tastemakers receive over one-hundred emails a day, and those explicitly working in artist discovery tend to receive countless more. As a result, everyone’s inbox space is limited. The only thing attaching song files to an email will accomplish is earning your letter a one-way ticket to the recipient’s trash can.

Comparisons can be enticing

Artists like to believe they are the only person/group on the planet capable of making the kind of music they create. There may be some truth to that, but you probably have more in common with other artists than you realize. Everyone is writing about either themselves versus the world, themselves versus nature, or themselves versus themselves. There are only so many stories to tell. You are likely influenced by many who have written songs about the same things you now hope to discuss. By using smart comparisons, you make it quicker for industry professionals to understand the type of music you’re creating. The faster they can understand you and your sound, the better.

Use a promotional distribution platform

The concept of “faking it til you make it” is a good approach to the music business. Industry professionals want to work with artists who know how to sell their music and how to manage the business of music.

There are numerous ways to send music to industry professionals. You can use file-sharing services or streaming platforms, but most don’t make a great lasting impression on listeners. If you want to present your art in a manner that reflects who you are as a creator, then you need a promotional distribution service.

Haulix offers a secure way to share streams and downloads of your latest release through email invitations and promotional web pages customized to reflect your talent. Not only will you be sharing your music using a service that the industry recognizes, but you will be doing so in a way that places the focus on you. Your promotional page will have no third-party ads and minimal Haulix branding. Your pages will represent you, and they can be customized to do that in many ways (cover art, background images, videos, bio, tour dates, etc.).

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Music Marketing 101: Work The Line

Clever digital marketing will get you far in the music business, but creative real-world marketing still matters.

Waiting in lines is an essential part of the live music experience. Be it a club show or an arena gig; music fans stand in lines to enter virtually every show they attend. The most dedicated followers often line up hours before anyone else to ensure they get to stand as close to their musical heroes as possible. That kind of devotion is an essential part of fandom, and it provides up and coming musicians a great opportunity to build their following.

When tours come through your region with lineups that relate to the music you perform, you should be working the line. In the simplest terms, working the line refers to a face-to-face promotional effort where musicians engage with music fans waiting to attend a show. It’s simple, effectively free, and can yield new followers of your career.

Many musicians work the line in three simple ways:

  1. The performers carry signs or wear shirts promoting their music. That way, everyone who sees them also sees their logo.
  2. Musicians will often carry a phone or portable MP3 player with high quality (over the ear) headphones. With each person they encounter, the musician will ask them to give their music a chance. They will also have CDs and download cards available for anyone who may feel compelled to make a purchase on the spot.
  3. After sharing their music, artists will ask consumers to sign up for their mailing list or to follow them on social media. That way, everyone who takes an interest in their music is contacted at least one additional time in the future. 

Some musicians think outside the box. Recently, I was walking by a venue in Grand Rapids, MI, when I spotted the following message written in chalk under an overpass:

Grand Rapids’ rapper Beatrat has the right idea when it comes to music promotion.

When fans line up for shows at that venue, the crowd often stretches under that same overpass. Considering there are no billboards or businesses in that space, this message from Beatrat is likely to garner some attention. It may not be pretty and it may not be the best possible representation of the music, but it is effective.

If you’re not working the lines outside venues in your area to promote your music then you letting dozens or more potential fans slip through your fingers. Step outside your comfort zone, learn how to talk about your music, and put yourself out there.

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How To Get A Record Deal in 2019 [VIDEO]

With the music industry changing faster than ever, record labels are being more particular about the artists they offer deals.

Last week, the Haulix team traveled to Los Angeles for a series of meetings with some of our favorite labels and industry professionals. We met with Hopeless Records, Pure Noise Records, Metal Blade Records, Prosthetic Records, and more. We covered a number of topics related to the music business, but there was one question we asked everyone:

What does it take to get a record deal in 2019?

We expected different answers from different labels, as they each have a specific niche of music they cater to, but the responses were mostly universal. Everyone agrees that you need talent above all else, but they believe talent alone is not enough. In the age of the internet, writing good songs and getting people to listen to them is the bare minimum an artist should be able to accomplish on their own. That kind of work ethic will start to create a conversation around your music, but again, that alone is not enough to get signed.

So, what does it take?

The music business is changing, and so is the type of artists who get signed. Labels are no longer able to take risks on everyone who creates a viral hit or knows how to write catchy songs. To stand out from the competition today, musicians need more than talent. Much more, in fact, and in this episode of Music Biz 101, host James Shotwell reveals what the biggest labels in music are looking for in the musicians they sign.


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Three common marketing mistakes artists make online [VIDEO]

Digital marketing is an essential element of music business success, and there are certain things everyone must do to get ahead.

Music is all about self-expression. A great song can tell the world who you are, what you feel, and what you believe matters most in life. That same material can make an impact on listeners that literally changes how they see the world around them. Music is a wonderful thing in that way, but to reach people, you need to know how to market your creativity.

Digital marketing is the backbone of music promotion today. It is impossible to imagine an artist getting ahead without having a strong presence online. Before you can reach the masses with your ideas, however, there are a few essential marketing concepts you need to understand.

First and foremost, consistent branding is what separates musicians people remember from the ones who are forgotten. There are way more good musicians no one remembers than there are great musicians everyone can easily recognize. The reasons for this are numerous, but more often than not, branding is at the center of it all. A great brand makes you seem more professional, more talented, and altogether better.

As for the other two elements, you’ll need to watch the latest episode of our video series, Music Biz 101. Embedded below, the video finds host James Shotwell breaking down the essential elements of successful digital marketing that many artists overlook when attempting to promote themselves online.

Don’t allow yourself to become another musician no one remembers. Watch this episode of Music Biz 101 and get to work!

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The future of marketing: The Pixies are promoting their new record with a limited series podcast

With the launch of It’s A Pixies Podcast, a limited series program, the long-running indie rock group offers a glimpse at the future of music promotion.

‘Podcast‘ may be the most significant buzzword in music this year. Not only has the format been accused of encroaching on a form of entertainment previously reserved for music and audiobooks, but streaming services Spotify and Apple Music have been investing heavily in promoting notable shows, as well as creating exclusive podcast content.

According to MusicOOMPH, 71% of Americans are familiar with the term ‘podcast,’ and a little over half of the population has listened to a podcast. There are currently 700,000 active podcasts boasting a combined catalog of 29 million episodes, and that figure is going to grow substantially in the latter half of 2019.

The world of podcasting has already proven beneficial for many performers. Comedians in particular have found the freedom of expression podcasting allows as a way to engage their audience between specials and promote tour dates. Musicians can and should see view podcasts the same way. In a time when everyone wants more from everything they love all the time, podcasts present an opportunity to continually offer new content without rushing to release songs or records before they’re complete.

A press release this week announced that one group, iconic indie rock band The Pixies, is ready to embrace podcasts and the numerous possibilities it can offer. The band is promoting their upcoming record by sharing a limited, twelve episode series that documents the creation of the record and the conflicts that arise during production. The podcast is hosted and narrated by New York Times best-selling author Tony Fletcher who was with the band during throughout the creative process.

The full press release reads:

Good morning! “It’s A Pixies Podcast,” Pixies’ 12-episode series, makes its debut today and we hope you’ll check it out. It’s now live on all podcast platforms including Apple, Pandora, Acast, Stitcher, Google and more. The podcast is hosted and narrated by New York Times best-selling author Tony Fletcher who was embedded with the band and producer Tom Dalgety while the new album, Beneath The Eyrie, was recorded last December at Dreamland Studios near Woodstock, NY.  The podcast provides a real fly-on-the-wall perspective of not just the recording, but of the interaction between the band members and Dalgety, while tracking in the main room or making a cup of tea in the kitchen. Beneath The Eyrie will be released on September 13 (BMG).

You can stream It’s A Pixies Podcast wherever you enjoy podcasts. The band’s new album, Beneath The Eyrie, will hit stores in September.

Artists at any level can get into podcasting, and they should. You don’t have to talk about your music. You don’t even have to talk about music in a general sense. Find something you’re passionate about and share that interest with your fans. It can be daily, weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, or whatever works for you. As long as you’re having fun, your fans will enjoy the experience, and they will come away from each episode feeling more connected to you. That connection translates to more engagement, more purchases, and more support.

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Music PR 101: Everything a site needs to premiere your next song or video

Successfully pitching song premieres is only the beginning. If you want your next release to make an impact you need to follow these steps.

Song premieres are a dime a dozen in the world of music blogs. Even the most sought-after music publications share multiple premieres a week, and most, if not all, go mostly unnoticed by the world at large. That is most often due to a lack of originality on the part of the site, as well as a lack of support from the artist/team behind the track before the premiere. Far too many artists send a link and a thank you message without giving the site or its writer anything substantial to work with when creating the article that supports the premiere, but today we’re going to help you make a change.

To have a song or video premiere make an impact on oversaturated music fans with short attention spans you will need more than the media you’re planning to release. Great premieres require great articles, and you can achieve that by providing sites with everything they need to tell not only the story of the thing you’re premiering, but the story of your career as well.

Before your next premiere, make sure you have these materials ready to share:

  • Song or Video Embed (obviously)
  • Artist bio (and album bio, when available)
  • Multiple high-quality photos
  • A quote about the thing you’re premiering and what it means to you or the story behind its creation.
  • Production information about the thing you’re premiering. For songs, that means writing credits, studio information, producer credits, the release it hails from and its street date. For videos, the director and production company they hail from, as well as when and where it was filmed.
  • Information related to everything else you’re currently promoting. If the song or video is part of a bigger album push, offer information about that record. If you have a tour, share the tour dates.
  • Imagery to promote anything else you may be promoting (album, tour, etc.).
  • An interview opportunity. Even if it’s for five minutes, offering the site hosting your premiere the chance to discuss the release with you can lead to great information being shared that you wouldn’t otherwise think to include.
  • A list of relevant social links (Spotify, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram). Be sure to express your preferred social network, if one exists.

When it comes to premiere, you often get out of them something equal to the work put into their creation. If you do the bare minimum you cannot expect to reap huge returns. Music is your passion, and you want people to understand that as clearly and as quickly as possible. Most will only look at a headline for your premiere for a second or less. Make the most of that limited time by doing whatever you can to ensure the content around your premiere is as high-quality as the thing you’re releasing.

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